The pharmaceutical industry continues to grapple with preclinical and clinical safety issues, with toxicity remaining a leading cause of drug failure. Cardiovascular toxicity, in particular, stands out, accounting for approximately 40% of all drug withdrawals due to safety concerns. To mitigate these risks, human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) have emerged as a critical tool for evaluating cardiac safety. Traditionally, most studies have relied on iPSC-CMs from one or two healthy donors, limiting the representation of broader population variability in drug response. [Read more…]

Researchers at Kobe University have unveiled a novel cryopreservation technique that could meaningfully streamline how induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are stored and handled in laboratory settings. The newly reported method allows iPSCs to be frozen directly within standard culture dishes, eliminating the need for cell transfer prior to cryostorage, an advancement that may significantly improve workflow efficiency across stem cell research, drug discovery, and regenerative medicine. [Read more…]